7-Zip
Open SourceThe best free file archiver for Windows. Blazing compression ratios with 7z format, supports ZIP, RAR, TAR, ISO and 40+ formats.
By Igor Pavlov v24.08 500M+ installs Updated
Pros
- Best-in-class compression ratio with 7z format
- Completely free — no paid features or ads
- Handles 40+ archive formats including RAR and ISO
- Command-line interface for scripting/automation
- AES-256 encryption for 7z and ZIP archives
Cons
- UI is outdated (very spartan design)
- No native macOS version
- Context menu integration can clutter right-click menu
Overview
7-Zip has been the de facto standard Windows archive utility for over 25 years. Its 7z format consistently delivers compression ratios 30-70% better than ZIP, making it ideal for large backups and file transfers.
Format Support
| Format | Pack | Unpack |
|---|---|---|
| 7z | ✓ | ✓ |
| ZIP | ✓ | ✓ |
| GZIP | ✓ | ✓ |
| TAR | ✓ | ✓ |
| RAR | ✗ | ✓ |
| ISO | ✗ | ✓ |
Command-Line Usage
# Create an archive
7z a backup.7z /path/to/folder
# Extract an archive
7z x archive.7z -o/output/path
# List archive contents
7z l archive.7zTechnical Specs
- Category
- File Management
- Platform
- Windows, Linux
- Pricing
- Open Source
- Version
- 24.08
- Developer
- Igor Pavlov
- Released
- Jul 1999
- Updated
- Aug 2025
- Installs
- 500M+